The rare positive thing that happen to Malaysia is the World Heritage City status conferred by UNESCO onto Melaka and George Town. Did we earned the status? The Minister in charge told the press that Malaysia has been told that such status are reliant on our compliance to the strict requirements to be a WHC -a presitigeous position shared by only hundreds of cities around the world. So what are the plans for the governments (Fed & State) to live up to the exalted position of WHC? Some suggestions: The Conservation committee for Melaka and George Town should be formed to include Federal, state governments as well civil society in exactly equal proportion. That will means that no one has veto and domination over the others. And civil society -which include professionals, NGOs as well as residents representatives, will have equal says to the 2 governments. This arrangement will ensure that 2 governments share responsiblities and take equal credits. Failing this the domination by either government will cause non-cooperation from the other -just like what happen in the tourism area. Let's see that this deplications will not happen in heritage area. Make this a first in State & Federal cooperation.

Federal support needed in preserving heritage sites
Giam Say Khoon and Bernard Cheah(Sun)

KUALA LUMPUR: The Penang state government hopes to get full support from the federal government in preserving Georgetown which has been newly-recognised as a world heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said all political differences should be set aside for the benefit of the heritage site so that the country will continue to enjoy the recognition, announced in Quebec on Tuesday.

"Our Penang MPs are looking forward to meeting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) to get an assurance that the state will continue to receive allocations and cooperation for Georgetown," he told a press conference in the parliament lobby today, adding that they were grateful to all quarters including Unesco and the federal government for getting Georgetown into the list of world heritage sites.

"The award of the title is not limited to Penang but to the entire nation because it is an international recognition which shows that there is a valuable historic and cultural heritage in the country.

"We will ensure the aspirations and hopes of the Unesco (are met ) by monitoring, maintaining and legislating the heritage site," he said.

In a press statement issued earlier, Lim attributed the successful listing of the two cities to the initiative of the people and acknowledged pioneering conservation work by public-spirited individuals in the 1980s, which led to the application to Unesco in 1996.

"It has taken 12 years of hard work, perseverance and great dedication to achieve this honour," said Lim, who was raised in Malacca.

"The Penang state government acknowledges the efforts of the people of both these historic cities, especially their tenacity in conserving their built and living heritage for future generations."

In congratulating the Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry, non-governmental organisations, the previous state government and state agencies for the success, he said an integrated heritage policy will be formulated and implemented by a state-level heritage committee chaired by him.

"Penang not only needs an integrated policy but one that has concrete short, medium and long term aims," he said.

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Opposition Leader Datin Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said she was proud to see Georgetown recognised as the world heritage site.

"The recognition is a value-add to Penang as its unique identity will become an attraction to all. The federal government is obliged to support the state and the prime minister as a Penangite, should treasure the recognition," she added.

In an immediate response, Unity, Cultural, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said the federal government will not have any problems working with the opposition-led state government in preserving the heritage site.

In fact, he said the ministry would try to obtain more funds for both Georgetown and Malacca city, the other Malaysian city listed as a world heritage site by Unesco, but could not say how much it would be.

"We will tell the public when the money is approved by the federal government."

"I have told the Chief Ministers of both states that they must abide by the requirements set by Unesco, to ensure that the two cities will always be qualified in Unesco list as it has been made known to us that some heritage sites (in other countries) had been removed from the list.

"We have also zoned some places to stop development and ensure that preservation work is being carried out," he added.

According to the Unesco website, George Town and Malacca, put together as "historic cities of the Straits of Malacca," are one of eight sites added to the list.

"The two towns constitute a unique architectural and cultural townscape without parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia," the Unesco statement said.

"The influences of Asia and Europe have endowed the towns with a specific multicultural heritage that is both tangible and intangible."

"With its government buildings, churches, squares and fortifications, Malacca demonstrates the early stages of this history originating in the 15th-century Malay sultanate and the Portuguese and Dutch periods beginning in the early 16th century."

"Featuring residential and commercial buildings, George Town represents the British era from the end of the 18th century."